DFDS gets scrubber funding

DFDS said that the funding was great news because it will not only help shippers to meet the new environmental regulations, but also to help to counter the migration of freight transport from sea to land.

“Scrubbers are a good solution for some of our ships. I am therefore proud that DFDS is playing its part in ensuring a cleaner environment and I am very pleased that our major efforts in this area have been recognised with the investment support,” said Niels Smedegaard, CEO, DFDS.

DFDS Seaways is already well ahead of the game in terms of preparing for the new stringent EU sulphur rules coming into effect from January 2015.

It installed its eighth scrubber system onboard Britannia Seaways, one of the company’s ro-ro vessels that serves routes on the North Sea.

And seven other DFDS Seaways vessels have now been fitted with the scrubbers including Ficaria Seaways, Magnolia Seaways, Petunia Seaways, Selandia Seaways, Optima Seaways, Victoria Seaways and Primula Seaways.

DFDS said that the scrubbers should help to remove 90 to 100% sulphur from the vessel’s exhaust gases. In total, DFDS is looking to invest around DKK750m in scrubbers for 21 of its ships.